Full-time reading teacher Mary Somerville is new to Robinson High School. Born outside of Pittsburg, it’s her first year here and the third school she’s taught at. Somerville had an early start in her career.

“2005 was my first year [teaching],” Somerville said. “I did nails part-time too so I was in the salon after school and I worked on the weekends.”

She liked both nails and teaching and got a degree in both professions in high school and college. It was a well-paying job and she really enjoyed that.

“I did nails in college because I got my nail license degree in high school and then after college, I had a degree in mass communications but I didn’t want to move away for a job,” Somerville explained. “so I figured I’d continue to teach and do nails so I did that until 2017. It was like a double income.”

Somerville knew she wanted to teach ever since she was a little girl. It started in her grandma’s basement with chalk and a chalkboard.

“My grandma had a chalkboard in her basement and we use to play with my cousins and we used to play school,” she said. “I’ve always had an interest in it but I wanted to make more money.”

She’s found previous jobs other than teaching but has always gone back to it due to the circumstances of the other jobs. Knowing that there are some advantages and disadvantages when teaching.

“It’s so intensive, you can’t take a break when y0u want so if you have to go to the bathroom you have to wait,” Somerville said. “[But] I like kids. I like all ages. I like little kids and older kids and I like spending time with kids.”

While teaching is something she loves there are some pet peeves she has inside and outside the classroom but mostly outside.

“I have so many that I feel like I could write a book on that, mostly bad drivers I guess that’s probably the biggest one.” She vocalizes pet peeves inside the class “Not really with the older kids when I have younger kids I have more of them but the older kids are really obedient.”

Somerville also has many outside activities she participates in especially with her family if she weren’t teaching she’d be doing an outside activity. She loves to stay active and to move around a lot.

“I have a four-year-old so I’m a mom and I have a husband and we like to go out and we like to golf and we like to exercise,” Somerville said.

“I’m so new like so far I like how it’s small and it seems like everyone knows everyone and it’s like a little community which is nice,” She said, “so this is very different it seems like a closer community which is nice, and the kids dress cool.”

Even though Somerville is freshly new to Robinson she really enjoys the small community and stylish outfits here compared to previous schools she’s taught at. She is very excited to see what Robinson has in store for her.